Prep Time

20 Minutes

Cook Time

75 Minutes

Yield

Serves 6

Description

Most ingredients are available in the market!

Ingredients

6 ea Artichokes
2 ea Lemons, Cut in Half

For the Stuffing

2 ea Slices of White Bread, Crusts Removed
2 tbsp Capers, In Wine Vinegar, Drained
1 ea Sweet Bell Pepper, In Wine Vinegar, Drained
1 ea Garlic Clove, Peeled
15 ea Italian Parsley, Leaves Only
1/4 cup Bread Crumbs, Unseasoned
1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

To Cook the Artichokes

1 ea Garlic Clove, Peeled
5 ea Mint Leaves
1 cup Cold Water
15 ea Italian Parsley Sprigs, Leaves Only
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Method of Preparation

1. Soak the artichokes and lemon halves for a 1/2 hour in a large bowl of cold water.
2. To clean the artichokes- cut off the ends of the stems and trim off the entire darker outer ring of the stems.
3. Remove as many rows of the outer leaves as necessary until you arrive at those leaves in which you can see the separation between the green at the top and the light yellow at the bottom.
4. Remove the top green part by pressing your thumb on the bottom yellow part of each leaf and, with your other hand, tearing off the top green part.
5. When you reach the rows in which only the very top of the leaves are green, cut off these tops completely with a knife.
6. To remove the hair and the choke, first cut all around the choke with a knife.
7. Then scoop out the choke and the attached hair, using a long-handled spoon.
8. As each artichoke is cleaned, return it to the bowl with the lemon water until it is needed.
9. To prepare the artichokes- Soak the bread in a small bowl of cold water for 5 minutes.
10. Coarsely chop the pepper and capers together.
11. Finely chop the parsley and garlic together.
12. Combine the coarsely and finely chopped ingredients in a bowl.
13. Squeeze the water out of the soaked bread and add the bread to the bowl along with the bread crumbs and the oil
14. Mix very well and season with salt and pepper.
15. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
16. To cook the artichokes, coarsely chop the clove of garlic and sprinkle it in a 13 ½ x 8 ¾ inch baking dish.
17. Then add the parsley, mint and water to the dish.
18. Stuff each artichoke with the prepared filling and place them in the baking dish upside down, with the stems pointing up.
19. Pour the oil over the artichokes and sprinkle them with salt and pepper.
20. Wrap the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 40 to 60 minutes.
21. Remove the dish from the oven and transfer the artichokes and the pan juices to a platter.
22. Serve hot.

Recipe Source

Giuliano Bugialli’s Foods of ITALY